My work represents my playful and resilient spirit that has carried me through profound and challenging moments of my life. I push and pull materials to manipulate them into familiar and unfamiliar shapes, yet they are completely synthetic. I break the rules of painting because I am enchanted with the idea of something like paint being able to stand without the aid of a traditional substrate.
My process is a reminder of my own fragility. But unlike fine china, I will not break. I may wilt, or fold over with sorrow. Cracks may form, and I may feel like I'm sliding off the wall. But even when crumpled, the paint skin will not shatter. It will sit for a time, full of wrinkles, until it slowly unfurls and changes shape. This ritual of crumpling, tearing, and sewing symbolizes my journey towards self reliance and empowerment.
Although my work comes from a place of struggle where I live with my memories of childhood abuse, poverty, and sexual trauma, I have a need to evoke my sense of humor and my joy I find in expressing myself through the manipulation and transformation of my many chosen materials. My work is a celebration of life. It's full of color, joy, frustration, sadness, and anger. It holds representations of the natural world, where I honor my spirituality and find solace and refuge. Yet it simultaneously represents my struggles as I slowly reconstruct myself in an image that I can celebrate.
Emotion is to be honored in my work. No matter the type, or root cause, it's a symbol of living a full and beautiful life. This is the primary goal in everything I do. Through my practice, I aspire to inspire hope—not only for myself but for those who engage with my creations. Each artwork is a testament to the possibility of healing and transformation, inviting viewers to embrace life's richness and complexity.
My process is a reminder of my own fragility. But unlike fine china, I will not break. I may wilt, or fold over with sorrow. Cracks may form, and I may feel like I'm sliding off the wall. But even when crumpled, the paint skin will not shatter. It will sit for a time, full of wrinkles, until it slowly unfurls and changes shape. This ritual of crumpling, tearing, and sewing symbolizes my journey towards self reliance and empowerment.
Although my work comes from a place of struggle where I live with my memories of childhood abuse, poverty, and sexual trauma, I have a need to evoke my sense of humor and my joy I find in expressing myself through the manipulation and transformation of my many chosen materials. My work is a celebration of life. It's full of color, joy, frustration, sadness, and anger. It holds representations of the natural world, where I honor my spirituality and find solace and refuge. Yet it simultaneously represents my struggles as I slowly reconstruct myself in an image that I can celebrate.
Emotion is to be honored in my work. No matter the type, or root cause, it's a symbol of living a full and beautiful life. This is the primary goal in everything I do. Through my practice, I aspire to inspire hope—not only for myself but for those who engage with my creations. Each artwork is a testament to the possibility of healing and transformation, inviting viewers to embrace life's richness and complexity.
